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Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations Student Scholarship
Spring 2013
Opportunities for Munjoy Hill
Anne-Michelle Arless University of Southern Maine, Muskie School of Public Service
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Opportunities for Munjoy Hill
Anne-Michelle Arless
Muskie School of Public Service
Health Policy & Management
Spring 2013
Capstone Advisor: Elise Bolda
Executive Summary
With the increasing numbers of older adults due to the aging of the baby boomer generation (born between 1946 - 1964), there will be growing numbers of older adults who wish to remain in their homes as they grow old (Maine State Planning Office, 2010).
To address this growing need, Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization (MHNO), a neighborhood-based non-profit, has developed a new volunteer-based program. This program is reaching out to older residents who could benefit from the assistance of others with a number of daily activities. At Home on Munjoy (AHOM) is a volunteer-lead group of Munjoy Hill residents who have united to form “circles of friends”, to connect those within the community in need with those in the community who can offer a helping hand.
Implementing a volunteer-based program to aid older adults as they age within their own homes can create a set of needs and priorities. For example, the magnitude of unmet needs may pose a challenge as the program is being established. This project focused on the start-up and implementation processes as defined by the strategic plan for
AHOM program.
The AHOM working group identified five needs and priorities for developing their volunteer-based initiative:
• Identifying funding and resources;
• Developing a communication strategy;
• Recruiting and retaining volunteers;
• Managing and scheduling volunteers and
• Supervising and training volunteers.
2
A number of resources, suggestions and examples with highlights of how others have addressed similar needs and priorities are provided, which include:
• Literature review
o Aging of the population
o Needs of older adults
o Healthy community
o What does it take to keep an elder at home?
o Challenges faced by older adults who want to age at home
o Opportunities on Munjoy Hill
• Research & Development Process
o Identifying Priorities
o Information Gathering Search Activities
• Needs #1 to #5 consisting of the following subsections:
o Description
o Examples of success
o Lessons learned from others
o Recommendations
• Conclusion
Details and recommendations for implementing possible solutions are in the full report and technical appendices. This resource summary has the potential to help inform
3 the working group and further assist AHOM as they develop their positive representation support systems of their community.
4 Tables of Contents
Problem Statement………….………….………….………….………….………….…………...... 6 Purpose & Goal………….………….………….………….………….………….………….………….... 6 Literature Review………….………….………….………….………….………….………….………...7 Aging of the Population………….………….………….………….………….…………...... 7 Needs of Older Adults………….………….………….………….………….…………...... 8 Healthy Community………….………….………….………….………….………….…….... 8 What Does it Take to Keep an Elder at Home?………….………….………….……9 Challenges Faced by Older Adults Who Want to Age at Home...... 10 Opportunities on Munjoy Hill………….………….………….………….………….…….. 11 Research & Development Process……….………….………….………….………….…………. 11 Identifying Priorities……….…………….…………….…………….…………….………... 11 Information Gathering Search Activities….…………….…………….……………... 11 Need #1: Funding and Resources.………….………….………….………….………….……….. 12 Description………….………….………….………….………….………….………….……..... 12 Examples of Success Elsewhere: Partnering………………….………….………….. 12 Examples of Community Success in Maine……….…………….…………….…….... 13 Lessons Learned From Others: Partnering….………….……….………….……..... 14 Recommendations………….………….………….………….………….………….………... 15 Need #2: Communication Strategy………….………….………….………….………….……... 17 Description………….………….………….………….………….………….………….……..... 17 Examples of Success: Communication………….………….………….………….……. 17 Examples of Local Communication Success……….…………….…………….…... 19 Lessons Learned From Others………….……….………….………….………….……... 20 Recommendations………….………….………….………….………….………….………... 21 Need #3: Retaining Volunteers………….………….………….………….………….………….... 24 Description………….………….………….………….………….………….………….……….. 24 Examples of Success: Satisfying Volunteers………….………….………….……….. 25 Lessons Learned From Others………….………….……….………….………….……... 31 Recommendations………….………….………….………….………….………….………... 28 Need #4: Volunteer Scheduling………….………….………….………….………….…………... 30 Description………….………….………….………….………….………….………….……….. 30 Local Success in Volunteer Scheduling………….………….………….………….…... 30 Lessons Learned From Others………………….………….………….………….……... 31 Recommendations………….………….………….………….………….………….………... 32 Scheduling Software Programs Table………….………….………….…..... 33 Need #5: Volunteer Supervision & Training………….………….………….…………...... 34 Description………….………….………….………….………….………….………….……….. 34 Examples of Success Elsewhere………….………….………….………….………….…. 34 Examples of Local Success: Supervision………….………….……………….……….. 35 Lessons Learned From Others………….……….………….………….………….……... 36 Recommendations………….………….………….………….………….………….………… 37 Conclusion………….………….………….………….………….………….………….………….………. 39 References………….………….………….………….………….………….………….………….………. 41 Appendix………….………….………….………….………….………….………….………….………… 44
4 Problem Statement
Non-profit organizations function for the betterment of society, mostly driven by
a passion of a person or a group of people. Non-profits, especially volunteer programs, possess needs, particularly with regard to their sustainability. Needs in planning and organizing volunteer programs have been identified by Lynch (2009). Examples of these needs include fundraising, getting the word out and volunteer development.
Purpose & Goal
This capstone helped AHOM identify implementation priorities and potential needs, and provided resources, examples and wisdom from others to help inform solutions for development and implementation of volunteer support in their community.
5 Literature Review
National and local demographic trends in the aging of the population suggest that
the proportion of Munjoy Hill residents over the age of 65 will increase in coming years
largely due to the aging of neighborhood baby boomers. In the year 2021, the first of the baby boomers who were born between 1946 and 1964, will reach age 75 (Maine State
Planning Office, 2010). The anticipated growth in the number of older individuals aging living on Munjoy Hill create an opportunity for the community to develop supports to
make theirs a more aging-friendly place for all members of the neighborhood.
Aging of the Population
Maine is considered to be the “oldest” state in the nation with seniors aged 65+
making up 16% of the states’ population, and Maine has a median age of 42.7 (Maine
State Planning Office, 2010). Maine also has the second-smallest percentage of its population under 18 and has very low rates of in-migration by young families (Maine
State Planning Office, 2010). As a result, Maine has an intensified aging population and is experiencing a slower rate of population expansion than most other states. Maine’s older population is also expected to increase at more than twice the rate of the state’s overall population over the next twenty years. This is exacerbated by in-migration since
Maine is known to be a state that appeals to retirees (Maine State Planning Office, 2010).
Maine is also a state where seniors live in poverty at rates higher than the national
average. Many seniors are struggling to pay medical bills, purchase prescription drugs,
heat their homes, and keep food on the table within their fixed income (Maine State
Planning Office, 2010).
6 Needs of Older Adults
When compared to the rest of the population, those aged 65+ are more likely:
- To develop an illness or disability
- To live on a fixed income and
- To lack the resources for transportation.
At the same time, older people are a valuable resource and often have time to help
others who require a helping hand or other assistance. Recognizing that everyone
deserves the feeling of being included and wanted within a community, AHOM’s
new volunteer program offers value to older adults of all levels of need. Simply
having someone call to make sure that a neighbor has taken their pills or going for a
nice walk around the neighborhood can have a positive impact on both the volunteer
caregiver and on the volunteer recipient (Hindawi Publishing Corporation, 2010).
Healthy Community
A healthy community for older adults is one that encourages independent living
and promotes social connectedness. It offers a variety of resources such as transportation
options and a range of opportunities for socialization, recreation and civic engagement
that are accessible to older adults who might be limited by chronic conditions, or by mobility, visual, hearing or cognitive impairments. Healthy communities strive for arrangements where their older population can age safely while maintaining their independence as much as possible in a community where people care for one another
(Health Trust, 2012).
7 What Does It Take To Keep An Elder At Home?
In Boston, leaders from an array of long-term care organizations came together to
discuss aspects on keeping elders within their homes. They concluded with six issues needing to be addressed for aging in place (Boston Partnerships for Older Adults, 2006):
1. Care coordination – Need to ensure that the elderly needs are met along with
providing timely and quality services.
2. Cultural competency - All genders, races, ethnicities, religion, beliefs, etc.
need to have equal opportunities to access information on aging. Resources
need to be made available to give older adults the ability to age in the comfort
of their own homes.
3. Direct care – Need to develop a quality team of workers that are well trained
to supply excellent services to the older adults.
4. Policy – Need to assure older adults are afforded the right to voice their
opinions within the community so that they feel heard and have the freedom
to make changes where they see fit.
5. Socialization – Need to develop a balance between social activities to
integrate elders with the community and allow for them to age in their homes
as well.
6. Access and public awareness - Need to get the word out about the program
and get the community involved and need to make education available to
older adults on topics that are of relevance and interest to them.
8 Challenges Faced by Older Adults Who Want to Age at Home
Many seniors wish to maintain their independence feeling that staying in their
homes or apartments. This provides them with the self-confidence and upholds their sense of autonomy (Maine State Planning Office, 2010). Unfortunately, low income,
lack of housing maintenance and unsafe neighborhoods have been shown to have an
impact on increasing an older adults risk of dying. It is crucial for community programs
offering services to older adults to develop stable plans that will reduce this risk (Seniors
Count, 2006). Limited income impacts quality and health of life for many older adults by
limiting their access to basic needs (Olson, 2003). Health problems, transportation,
financial limitations often prevent elders from leaving their homes. As a result, the risk
of social isolation increases with age, and risk grows with age due to a number of factors
including loss of family and friends as well as their decreased mobility (Olson and
Associates, 2003).
Older adults and taxpayers benefit when home-based supports can reduce the
need for higher cost nursing facility care. In Maine, nursing home rates average
$8,760/month (Skilled Nursing Facilities, 2012). Many seniors have insufficient income
to pay these high monthly costs for a long period of time. And, the federal Medicare
program does not cover nursing home care for custodial support of the sort targeted by
AHOM. Similarly, Medicare does not pay for this support in older adults’ homes unless
they are homebound and require skilled nursing or rehabilitation services. While
Medicaid may cover the cost of nursing homes and in-home care for some older adults
with limited incomes and few assets, many older adults with a need for assistance do not
meet the strict medical need criteria for long term care. Finally, private insurance may
9 cover the cost of nursing homes or in-home care, however, very few older adults have private long-term care insurance policies (Consumers for Affordable Health Care &
Maine Equal Justice Partners, October 2012).
Opportunities on Munjoy Hill
Additional services and support will need to be available in the community if
Munjoy Hill hopes to help older residents continue to live in the neighborhood. Ideally,
these supports will allow older residents to age in place and continue to feel part of the
Munjoy Hill community. A change in thinking will be essential to make sure that the needs of the aging population are met. This new way of thinking is an underpinning for the AHOM volunteer program to adopt the neighbor helping neighbor approach.
Research and Development Process
Identifying Priorities
The AHOM working group identified needs of greatest concern to them: funding
and resources, communication, retaining volunteers, volunteer scheduling and
volunteer supervision. I attended several of their monthly meetings and maintained
regular contact with them via e-mail throughout the process. Research was conducted
once all the needs were specified.
Information Gathering Search Activities
1. Online searches utilized to acquire information on the following:
a. Community resources;
10 b. Funding lists and
c. Successful programs.
2. One-on-one informal interviews with volunteer coordinators from two Portland
non-profits identified by faculty recommendations and through previous
coursework: the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Maine and Learning Works
3. Periodically preparing and delivering synthesis to the working group.
The following sections summarize the findings for each need area, including:
• Description: section explaining synopsis of the need;
• Examples of success: section describing community initiatives nationally and
in Maine;
• Lessons Learned From Others: section describing suggestions offered by
programs doing related work and
• Recommendations: section with suggestions for next steps and related
opportunities available to AHOM.
The final section of this report is the conclusion summarizing the needs and priorities.
Focal solutions on overcoming these needs are mentioned to help AHOM excel with their initiative.
11 Need #1: Funding and Resources
Description
At Home on Munjoy Hill (AHOM) wants to offer older residents within their community a variety of resources to help them remain in their homes and neighborhood as long as they choose. The AHOM working group would like to offer services such as transportation, meals and social gatherings to build a sense of community among the older residents. Funding is needed to further develop these services. In response, the first research conducted for AHOM was to find potential funding sources that might support AHOM in its community development initiative. Attached Appendix A is a list of funding organizations along with their address, deadlines, processes for application and a brief summary of their requirements.
Examples of Success Elsewhere: Partnering
The resources available to build AHOM’s community initiative will undoubtedly be limited. The following are examples of successful approaches of other established community-based programs.
Tamarac, Florida
The city of Tamarac, Florida, developed a community-based program that (The
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2005):
• Partnered with their local community transit system to establish a bus system
helping residents get around using bus routes to three convenient destinations
such as pharmacies, doctors offices and shopping. Bus timetables are on a
12 fixed schedule to make it easy for the older residents to remember. This
service costs the residents $0.25 per trip and also offers free transportation to
the library.
• Partnered with their local community development division to offer a
maintenance program to the residents at no charge. The program provides
maintenance services to help upkeep seniors’ homes.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
One related community-based initiative developed the notion of “Connecting
Caring Communities” in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This idea centers around collaboratively building social capital with those in the community who have an impact on others. For example, Milwaukee engaged the mayor, president of schools, state representatives and church pastors. These influential leaders helped mobilize services in targeted neighborhoods to help build their community.
Examples of Community Success in Maine
The Boys and Girls Club (BGC) of Southern Maine is a successful non-profit
organization focusing their attention on the youth through education, building integrity
and living a healthy lifestyle. BGC established relationships with their primary funders,
United Way of Southern Maine and individual donors. The organization prioritizes the
maintenance of these relationships for long-term sustainability. Key advice from BGC is to use community resources wherever possible to reduce spending and preserve funds for high priority projects (S. William, personal communication, March 7 2013).
13
Learning Works is a Portland nonprofit organization providing learning
opportunities to the at-risk youth population in Maine. Representatives from Learning
Works share the ways they approach fundraising:
• Funding for specific projects and
• Funding for underwriting all costs (staffing, administration, tasks and
materials) from an established organization.
The difference between the two approaches is the amount of funding requested.
The former is associated with smaller requests and the latter with larger requests. To compete for grant support, organizations must sell their idea(s) to the grant maker in understandable terms. Key advice from Learning Works is to maintain strong working relationships with funding organizations so long-term support is available. (T. Hall, personal communication, March 8 2013)
Lessons Learned From Others: Partnering
Community Partnerships For Older Adults
By bringing everyone to the table to work together, they increase connections
among neighbors and reduce barriers between agencies and sectors. They make it
possible to combine and allocate resources more effectively and meet needs more
efficiently. They improve quality of life and therefore health. The essential elements as
described by Community Partnerships for Older Adults (2009) needed to build successful
partnerships include:
• Direct involvement of older adults and non-traditional partners;
14 • Community developed and supported strategic plan: roles of partners,
articulate community vision, priorities and steps to achieve the vision;
• Commitment of resources to strategic plan: funding, staffing,
representatives of organizations;
• Shared leadership of the partnership and its work groups;
• Neutral table to convene regular, open meetings and
• Paid or dedicated staff to support the partnership.
In order for AHOM to acquire funding and reduce its expenditures, partnering with local resources would be beneficial to reduce pressure on the working group. Examples of expenses that might be supported by partnering with other local resources are:
• Transportation
• Home maintenance and
• Mentoring services
Recommendations
Based on the successes of established community initiatives in the country,
AHOM could benefit from:
• Exploring partnerships like working with the local RTP (Regional Transportation
Program) and ITN (Independent Transportation Network) to develop bus routes
most commonly traveled by older adults in the Munjoy Hill neighborhood.
• Exploring partnerships with local maintenance groups to help the older adults
with upkeep of their homes. Examples include the People’s Regional Opportunity
15 Program and the Maine Community Action Association, both offering services to
address the needs of communities within Maine.
• Exploring partnerships with SCORE, a local Portland group offering a variety of
free mentoring services to newly developed organizations in Maine.
• Getting local older adults involved in the program’s decision-making processes.
16 Need #2: Communication Strategy
Description
Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization (MHNO) is well established within the
community and has a good reputation amongst the neighbors. Although many in the
Munjoy Hill area recognize the not-for-profit organization, getting the word out about the program is a need. As a program within MHNO, AHOM goals are to:
• Familiarize the public with the program and
• Create opportunities for others to reach people through AHOM.
In order to achieve these goals, AHOM priorities are to:
• Recruit volunteers and
• Get the word out about the initiative.
Examples of Success: Communication
The following are examples of successful communication strategies of various
community initiatives across the United States.
The Elder Friendly Communities Program (2006) developed “the process model”
for developing a volunteer-based program consisting of the following steps:
o Entering the neighborhood;
o Engaging older adults;
o Forming neighborhood groups;
o Enhancing seniors capacity for civic engagement and
o Sustaining seniors’ groups through social events, outings, tai chi classes, service information sharing and political advocacy.
17 Manchester, New Hampshire
One community initiative based in Manchester (New Hampshire) entitled
“Seniors Count” (2006) created a program similar to the one envisioned by AHOM. The program’s committee determined that older adults need social, physical and emotional support if they wish to avoid residing in nursing homes and remain in their community.
In order to get the message out about their program, Seniors Count:
• Held various public relation campaigns using radio and posters to educate people
on the issues related to older adults and discuss services they can offer to
overcome the challenges of aging;
• Partnered with a local television station to discuss senior issues;
• Held Town Hall meetings to raise awareness within the community;
• Created an easy access website containing the program’s information for older
adults as well as the opportunities for volunteers and
• Conducted telemarketing phone campaign to contact their targeted audience.
Another community initiative made efforts in gaining clients and volunteers with the use of local resources.
Clients:
• The committee distributed and gathered surveys to local residents at stores, in
senior residences and at community events. The surveys engaged a number of
people, which led to the program gaining recognition by the community.
18 Volunteers:
• The committee got local schools involved in their program and it proved to be a
success for both volunteers and older adults. It created a sense of community and
the students learned valuable lessons on public health as well as aging.
Examples of Local Communication Success
The Boys and Girls Club (BGC) of Southern Maine has been around for over one hundred years and has had the luxury of forming lasting relationships with their volunteers and stakeholders. Communicating to the public and getting them involved in their program entails the following actions (S. William, personal communication, March
7 2013):
Clients:
• Establishing relationships with their stakeholders. BGC has gained
partnership loyalty with UNUM and US Cellular to help staff special events
and to get the word out.
• Getting the Director of Development and Marketing to send out news flyers,
letters, cards and invitations to the community as well as to the alumni of the
organization. The alumni tend to be loyal to the BGC and will try to help
however they can.
Volunteers:
• Providing positive experiences for the volunteers who then recommend
friends and/or family to volunteer their services to the organization, which in
turn creates an ongoing recruitment tool for new volunteers.
19 • Getting local high schools and colleges involved by contacting a person of
authority within the institution.
• Going to the Portland Adult Education program and recruiting volunteers.
• Going out into the community and hold personal conversations with local
residents to get them involved.
Learning Works uses a variety of techniques to get the word out about their program (T. Hall, personal communication, March 8 2013):
• Using existing infrastructures serving the same population and
• Using recruiting agencies to attract volunteers.
Learning Works promotes their program by using the following process:
• Understanding the substance of the program;
• Including all program information;
• Developing an orientation;
• Gaining commitment and
• Training.
Lessons Learned From Others
The Community Partnerships for Older Adults (2009) is a national program offering services such as leadership and solutions to new programs that support the needs of the elderly population. They developed nine factors leading to an effective communication strategy:
20 1. Possessing patience and imagination.
2. Creating a detailed communication plan.
3. Creating communication objectives that will strengthen the project.
4. Keeping the focus on key target audiences (internal and external).
5. Creating messages that focus directly on the target audience.
6. Creating products that are customer-driven.
7. Possessing the necessary resources to accomplish the work.
8. Measuring the success of the program at regular intervals.
9. Completing all planned goals with attention to detail.
Recommendations
In order to be successful with their communication strategy, AHOM needs to focus on:
• Planning and taking the time to communicate the program effectively to the
various target audiences: neighborhood, potential partners, customers and
volunteers;
• Utilizing local resources to get the word out about the program and
• Providing positive volunteer experiences.
AHOM has an array of possibilities to publicize their initiative in the community such as:
Clients and Volunteers:
• Conduct Town Hall meetings to involve the community;
21 • Create a user-friendly website containing all relevant program information for
older adults and volunteer opportunities.
Clients:
• Survey the community such as residents, stores, businesses and schools;
• Communicate directly with potential stakeholders and/or loved ones about their
program through a telephone directory.
• Seek support from area communication firms that can offer their services to aid
the working group;
Volunteers:
• Provide a positive experience for the volunteers who then can refer family and/or
friends;
• Post volunteer opportunities with recruit agencies in the area such as Southern
Maine Agency on Aging (SMAA), Volunteer Maine and United Way;
• Seek support from local high school and college students. There are a number of
schools in the city of Portland. AHOM could devise community service projects
getting the youth such as students, boy scouts and girl scouts to help older adults
with spring and fall clean-up. Many students must complete community service
hours in order to graduate so volunteering their time for AHOM’s initiative could
be beneficial for both parties and potentially lead to students’ loyalty towards the
program.
• Seek volunteers from the Portland Adult Education program
Vehicles To Get The Word Out To Clients and Volunteers
22 • Seek support from the local newspaper “Munjoy Hill Observer”. Since it is
available to all members of the community, introducing the program through
press releases has the potential to reach both potential volunteers and/or people
who know of loved ones seeking such services;
• Seek support from the Portland Press Herald;
• Seek support from local radio stations who could help AHOM get the word out
such as:
o WGAN 560 AM: A news/talk radio station targeting the greater Portland community;
o WZAN 970 AM: A talk radio station targeting the southern Maine area and
o WLOB 1310 AM: A news/talk radio station targeting the greater Portland community.
• Seek support from local television stations in Portland allows for locals to share
videos, photos and stories on their website. AHOM should also consider an event
launching initiative inviting local television stations. The following television
stations could be valuable resources for AHOM in reaching a large number of
potential clients and volunteers:
o WMTW – Portland’s Channel 8 News
o WGME 13 – Local Portland, Maine News
o WCSH6 - Portland News Channel
o Cable Access Channel
o CTN – Portland’s Community Television Network
23 Need #3: Retaining Volunteers
Description
Another need posed by AHOM is volunteer retention. According to Olson and
Associates (2003), there are a number of reasons leading to the discontentment of
caregivers within a volunteer program. Caregivers report being physically and
emotionally drained from providing services, and report feeling a lack of support or
recognition for their efforts. The volunteers are the driving forces behind the initiative
and are valuable resources in sustaining the program.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs describes the needs individuals need to have met in
order to be motivated. Motivation is more advantageous than rewards because it pushes
an individual to their limit. The bottom level of the hierarchy (physiological) contains the
basic needs that humans require to live. As you move upward along the hierarchy of
needs, the needs are related to quality of life and personal fulfillment. (Leaman, R., 2009)
“No volunteer is going to come in and tell you they are interested in your
opportunity because they lack in one or more areas of the ‘Hierarchy of Human Needs’.
However, if you listen closely to what they tell you and if you ask the right questions,
you’ll soon learn what areas they are lacking, and … determine if the volunteer
opportunity you have will pay them the psychological wages to keep them for life”. ~ Art
Femister (Leaman, R., 2009)
A more in-depth analysis of the five-tier hierarchy introduced by Maslow
(Leaman, R., 2009) is as follows:
24 • Physiological needs are the practical, physical and/or logistical barriers for
volunteers. Such problems can include the lack of time to prepare meals
between their full-time occupation and volunteering.
• Safety implies the volunteers’ stipulation of feeling secure with his/her
position within the program. There may be financial risks or fear of losing
their jobs for standing up to something they believe in.
• Love/belonging refers to the time spent with loved ones. Working as a
volunteer might reduce or eliminate someone’s quality time with their
family so it is important to think of incorporating family members into the
program so that this valuable time is not lost.
• Esteem refers to an individual’s self-esteem within the environment and
providing services with confidence. A volunteer might not feel they have
the personal resources necessary to aid an older adult.
• Self-actualization refers to an individual’s potential. A volunteer might
not share all the same values as the program and these issues, although
they may be difficult to resolve, need attention from the working group.
Along with the previous level, education could be beneficial to inform the
volunteers on areas of uneasiness.
Examples of Success: Satisfying Volunteers
The Boys and Girls Club (BGC) of Southern Maine have a variety of techniques in satisfying and retaining their volunteers, including (S. William, personal communication, March 7 2013):
25 • Showing appreciation for the volunteers’ efforts;
• Giving the volunteers options;
• Comforting the volunteers in times of need;
• Scheduling around the volunteers’ preferences;
• Conducting initial and exit screenings in order for supervisors to receive
feedback;
• Communicating on a regular basis;
• Engaging the volunteers;
• Holding annual events in honor of the volunteers’ efforts;
• Meeting with volunteer coordinators from other BGC to go over positive
and negative experiences making necessary adjustments where they are
needed;
• Being open-minded and not discriminating even with background checks
and
• Providing opportunities to advance within the organization and become
paid staff.
Learning works (T. Hall, personal communication, March 8 2013) attracts hundreds of volunteers year-round due to the following methods:
• Creating a report of volunteer requirements;
• Creating a sense of community within the organization;
• Solidifying ties within the organization;
• Giving the volunteers a sense of purpose and
26 • Giving the volunteers opportunities for socialization.
Lessons Learned From Others
An approach to retaining volunteers is by instilling the following five tips inspired by Bray (2013):
1. Understanding the volunteers’ motives. It is important to get to know the volunteers of the program and learn what drives them to pursue this field of work.
Understanding their motives can allow the working group to place the volunteers in fitting positions.
2. Advising the volunteers what is expected from them. It is beneficial to start all volunteer journeys with formal training to give them a general sense of the program and the required expectations. It is also important to notify the volunteers the expected hours, late notifications, organization policies and your pledge to ensure their experience will be positive as well as benefit the community.
3. Allowing for volunteering to be convenient. It is important to create alternatives, such as scheduling, to satisfy the volunteers needs.
4. Making volunteering fun. It is a good idea to think of innovative ideas to accomplish volunteer tasks instead of them being repetitive. Repetition reduces motivation and leads to unhealthy provision of effort.
5. Showing your appreciation. Volunteers are providing services at no cost and need to be shown that they are appreciated by the organization. Giving gratitude, organizing activities for the volunteers, holding annual parties and dedicating speeches
27 for their involvement with awards and certificates are all great methods to appreciate the driving force of the program.
Recommendations
Successfully retaining volunteers will require AHOM to focus on the volunteers and their needs and perform the following functions:
• Making communication a priority between all program volunteers, coordinators
and clients;
• Training and educating volunteers and
• Demonstrating appreciation for volunteers’ efforts.
Based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, AHOM working group could perform the following:
• Offering incentives such as food to help those volunteers who do not have
enough time to cook between their full-time job and their time devoted to
the program;
• Altering the volunteers schedule for a time that is of convenience to them;
• Ensuring their volunteers safety;
• Creating a forum or mechanism for addressing any concerns the
volunteers may have;
• Addressing any raised issues and provide training sessions as needed;
• Creating a sense of community within the organization by hosting mixers
and workshops;
28 • Incorporating volunteers’ family members into the program;
• Educating the volunteers on areas of uncertainty or uneasiness and
• Giving the opportunity for advancement within the organization.
29 Need #4: Volunteer Scheduling
Description
Volunteer scheduling is another need AHOM faces due to all the different daily agendas as well as the problem of call-outs and the trouble replacing the shifts with other workers. It is difficult to satisfy all the volunteers’ scheduling preferences while trying to maintain an effective program.
Local Success in Volunteer Scheduling
The Boys and Girls Club (BGC) of Southern Maine have been successful with their scheduling efforts using the following methods (S. William, personal communication, March 7 2013):
• Using established partnerships (UNUM, US Cellular, local schools) to
host special annual events. In turn, these organizations have the
opportunity to gain publicity;
• Using Excel to track volunteers’ efforts;
• Using a sign-in book at reception recording volunteers names, dates and
times worked. The volunteer coordinator then puts all the information into
Excel;
• Scheduling around volunteers preferences and
• Matching volunteer interests with their scheduled activity.
30 Learning Works (T. Hall, personal communication, March 7 2013) focuses their scheduling techniques around the volunteers and their preferences by meeting with them to:
• Communicate with volunteers on a regular basis;
• Get feedback from the volunteers’ experiences and
• Ask the volunteers for their times preferences and fitting it in with the
program’s schedule.
Learning Works (T. Hall, personal communication, March 8 2013) also favors
Google Groups, a technology they use for supervising volunteers. Their reasons for selecting this approach include:
• No associated cost with the technology;
• The ability to produce online reports;
• The ability to set up listserv;
• The ability for volunteers to write brief summaries that gets banked for the
supervisor to view and
• The ability for staff and volunteers to report any problems and/or
concerns.
Lessons Learned From Others
In order to be successful with their volunteer scheduling, AHOM should focus on the experience of the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Maine and Learning Works by:
• Communicating with the volunteers;
31 • Establishing partnerships in the area and
• Discover fitting software programs that help with their scheduling needs.
Recommendations
Successfully scheduling volunteers will require AHOM to focus on the following
strategies:
• Partnering with local organizations who can offer resources for special events;
• Communicating with the volunteers on a regular basis and getting feedback
from their experiences;
• Scheduling the volunteers according to their time preferences and
• Engaging volunteers by matching their tasks with personal interests.
There are also a number of software programs that enable organizations to schedule their volunteers at no cost while saving time. Using software is more effective than formally scheduling volunteers because there is no hassle of e-mailing back and forth or those countless phone calls. (Leaman, R., 2011) The following table is a list of program features along with their corresponding software programs:
32 Scheduling Software Program Features
Program Features Software Programs Free When To Help Famundo My Charity Manager Volunteer Spot Google Docs Excel Record volunteer time preferences & When To Help availabilities Color coordinated When To Help Famundo Easily accessible When To Help Volunteer Spot Google Docs Messaging When To Help Famundo My Charity Manager Volunteer Hub Password protected When To Help Famundo Volunteer Hub Document sharing Famundo My Charity Manager Manage donations My Charity Manager Ability to sell products My Charity Manager Create events My Charity Manager Sends notifications reminders Volunteer Spot Volunteer Hub Ability to create spreadsheets Google Docs Excel Sign-in sheets for volunteers Volunteer Hub Volunteer appreciation messaging Volunteer Hub
33 Need #5: Volunteer Supervision & Training
Description
The final need faced by AHOM is supervision amongst the volunteers. It is
difficult supervising volunteers at all times when you have limited supervisors and the
workers are out in the community. Training goes hand-in-hand with supervision such
that in order to limit supervision problems, volunteers must be successfully trained to go
into the community and provide valuable services to the older adults.
Examples of Success Elsewhere
Wadud and Nay (2004) identified a variety of advantages to possessing a
volunteer supervisor, such as:
• Recognizing issues before they become full blown and have the potential
to negatively affect other volunteers within the program;
• Ensuring needs are met from both the program and the volunteer;
• Guaranteeing the expectations from the volunteer;
• Providing feedback to the volunteers to help enhance their services
towards the program and feel a sense of worth within the organization and
• When supervision is performed as intended, the workforce will provide
valuable resources to the organization therefore making it a leader in its
community.
Volunteers benefit from their experience when supervisors communicate clear expectations and provide constructive feedback on their performance. (Fisher, J., Cole,
34 K., 1993) It is also useful for supervisors to acknowledge the volunteers’ skills and talents in order for them to be successfully applied when providing their complimentary services. A supervisor’s role consists of:
• Interviewing;
• Assigning tasks;
• Solving Problems;
• Evaluating performances and
• Recognizing volunteers’ efforts.
Examples of Local Success: Supervision
The Boys and Girls Club (BGC) of Southern Maine has a process in place to successfully supervise their volunteers (S. Williams, personal communication, March 7
2013). Their process ensures that the organization screens volunteer applicants, then:
• Goes over the schedule with the volunteer;
• Has the unit directors go over the schedule and
• Has the unit directors meet with the volunteers.
The BGC of Southern Maine supervises its volunteers by performing the following:
• Unit Directors drop-in occasionally to view the volunteers’ efforts in real-time;
• Ask other staff members to supervise volunteers;
• Give the volunteers enough freedom to instill trust and
• Make sure the volunteers report back to their supervisor on a regular basis.
35 Learning Works (T. Hall, personal communication, March 8 2013) realizes that it is impossible to supervise the volunteers at all times and function by focusing on volunteer support by:
1. Writing policies guiding the way the program functions;
2. Having the volunteers report back to the supervisor and
3. Having the served population provide volunteer feedback to the
supervisor.
Lessons Learned From Others
Volunteers feel a sense of satisfaction with their experience when supervisors provided sufficient communication. The appointing of a supervisor is therefore critical for the success of a volunteer program in order to develop successful relationships. There are instances where volunteers supervise other volunteers within the program and if they perform their prescribed duties efficiently, they have the opportunity advancing their roles to supervisory positions within the organization (Ashcraft, R.,
Brown, W., Yoshioka, C., 2007). This approach promotes teamwork due to the status equality of the volunteers and the motivation to successfully manage the program. It is the responsibility of the volunteer administrator to train the supervisors and provide them with the necessary tools to oversee the output of their coworkers (Fisher, J., Cole, K.,
1993).
Success in volunteer supervision and training will require AHOM to perform the following functions:
36 • Appointing the appropriate supervisor for the program;
• Ensuring the supervisor fulfills necessary duties for the well-being of the
program;
• Giving the volunteers the means to communicate with the supervisor and
• Ensuring trust in the volunteers ability to perform their duties.
Recommendations
Based on the established positive outcomes for community initiatives, AHOM
needs to appoint a volunteer supervisor to help create equilibrium within the
organization. The following are daily procedures that need to be carried out by a supervisor in order to empower their team:
• Conduct regular meetings with the volunteers in order to ensure their
expectations are understood. These meetings also give the opportunity to
pose questions on either end, giving the volunteers praise and any
reminders;
• Prepare regular schedules of volunteers’ efforts such as hours and their
responsibilities and
• Maintain constant communication with the volunteers in order to sustain a
trustworthy relationship between both parties. This can be accomplished
through monthly meetings, newsletters, e-mail and telephone calls.
There are more supervision strategies for AHOM that can be undertaken, such as:
• Hiring trustworthy staff from the get-go;
37 • Providing adequate training;
• Giving volunteers their space to instill trust;
• Asking other directors to supervise in passing and
• Asking the older adults to report back to the working group at AHOM to
get feedback on their received services.
38 Conclusion
There will be an increased demand for older adults to remain in their homes as
they grow old and volunteer-based program like the AHOM initiative will help them age
in place. The new initiative of AHOM undoubtedly has the potential to create a general
overall sense of community and health benefits. New resources and ways of thinking
will be needed to implement the new program. Although this idea seems straightforward,
there are needs associated with implementing a nonprofit volunteer-based program that
include:
• Funding;
• Communication Strategy;
• Retaining Volunteers;
• Scheduling Volunteers and
• Supervising & Training volunteers.
There is a collection of potential solutions provided through this research to assist the working group at AHOM address their priorities. These possible solutions can be used to guide the working group as they formalize their work plan and next steps. The following is a list of priorities for development in each need area addressed, presented in order of priority and a summary of key questions to be addressed by AHOM as they frame their plans for moving forward:
1. Need for Funding and Resources:
a. Explore partnerships with local transportation systems;
b. Explore partnerships with local maintenance groups and
39 c. Explore partnerships with local mentoring services.
2. Communication Strategy:
a. Conduct Town Hall meetings to discuss AHOM project plans;
b. Seek support from area communication firms to help develop
communication strategy and
c. Seek support from local high schools and colleges to get the word
out about volunteer opportunities.
3. Retaining Volunteers
a. Give the opportunity for advancement within the organization;
b. Create a forum for addressing any concerns volunteers have;
c. Make communication a priority between all program volunteers,
coordinators and clients;
d. Demonstrate appreciation for volunteers’ efforts and
e. Alter the volunteers schedule for a time that is of convenience to
them.
4. Scheduling Volunteers
a. Partner with local organizations who can offer resources for
special events;
b. Communicate with the volunteers on a regular basis and getting
feedback from their experiences and
c. Engage volunteers by matching their tasks with personal interests.
5. Supervising and Training Volunteers
a. Maintain constant communication with the volunteers;
40 b. Provide adequate training;
c. Give volunteers their space to instill trust and
d. Ask the older adults to report back to the working group to get
feedback on their received services.
AHOM is a promising program that has the ability to benefit many older adults within its community. With the assistance of the provided solutions, the working group can discover alternate methods to excel their initiative.
41 References:
Aliev, G. (2010). Reciprocity: A Predictor of Mental Health and Continuity in Elderly People's Relationships? A Review. Hindawi Publishing Corporation. Retrieved from http://www.hindawi.com/journals/cggr/2010/340161/
Aroostook County Action Program (December 2011). Poverty in Maine Update. Retrieved from http://www.acap- me.org/userfiles/Poverty%20Report%20Jan%202012.pdf
Ashcraft, R., Brown, W., Yoshioka, C., (2007). A Functional Approach to Senior Volunteer and Non-volunteer Motivations. The International Journal of Volunteer Administration, Volume XXIV, Number 5.
Boston Partnership for Older Adults (2006). What Does It Take To Keep an Elder at Home? Boston Partnership for Older Adults Program Report.
Community Partnerships for Older Adults. (2009). Local Solutions for National Long Term Care Challenges. Community Partnerships for Older Adults Program Review.
The Conservation Assessment Program. (2009). Getting The Word Out About your CAP. Heritage Preservation. Retrieved from: http://www.heritagepreservation.org/cap/word.html
Consumers for Affordable Health Care & Maine Equal Justice Partners. (October 2012). MaineCare Eligibility Guide. Retrieved from: http://www.mejp.org/sites/default/files/mainecare-guide.pdf
Famundo. (2008). Famundo for Organizations. Retrieved from: http://www.famundo.com/organization
Fisher, J., Cole, K. (1993). Who Supervises? Leadership and Management of Volunteer Programs. Retrieved from: http://www.energizeinc.com/art/alea.html
Gursanky, D., Perreault, E., Sieppert, J., (2006). Focus on Community: International Perspectives. The Elder Friendly Communities Program Review.
Health Trust. (2012) Healthy Aging. Retrieved from http://www.healthtrust.org/initiatives/aging/index_aging.php
Health Workforce Information Center. (January 2012). Implementing Community Health Worker Programs: Lessons from Rural Communities. Retrieved from: http://www.hwic.org/news/jan12/knudson.php
42
Kendrick, S. (January, 2012) Overscheduling vs. Underscheduling. VolunteerHub. Retrieved from: http://www.volunteerhub.com/blog/overscheduling-vs- underscheduling/
Leaman, R., (2009). Motivating Your Volunteers: Needs, Barriers, and Psychology 101. Wild Apricot. Retrieved from: http://www.wildapricot.com/blogs/newsblog/2009/01/22/motivating-your-volunteers-needs-barriers-and- psychology-101
Leaman, R. (2011). Web Tools to Schedule Volunteers. Wild Apricot. Retrieved from: http://www.wildapricot.com/blogs/newsblog/2009/08/19/6-free-or-cheap-web-tools-to-schedule- volunteers
Maine State Planning Office. (2010). Maine County and State Population Projections: 2013- 2028. Retrieved from: http://www.maine.gov/spo/economics.
My Charity Manager. (2007). My Charity Manager: Easily Manager Volunteers, Events and Donations. Retrieved from: http://www.mycharitymanager.com/#mainTarget
Oh, P., (2012, January), Aging in Bowdoinham, Maine. Presented at the University of Massachusetts, Boston.
Olson, E. & Associates. (August 2003). Now at Sixty, What I see…A Report on the Lives of Milkwaukee County’s Older Adults – How They Live In and Give To Our Community. Milkwaukee County’s Connecting Caring Communities Partnership Program Review.
SCORE (2012). SCORE: For The Life of Your Business. Retrieved from: http://portlandme.score.org
Seniors Count. (2006). Imagine a City Where Seniors Count Because the Communicate Cares. New Hampshire Seniors Count Program Review.
Serve Illinois (2012). Managing Successful Volunteer Programs. Retrieved from http://www2.illinois.gov/serve/pages/managing_programs.aspx#top
Skilled Nursing Facilities (2012). Nursing Home Costs. Retrieved from http://www.skillednursingfacilities.org/articles/nursing-home-costs.php
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2005). Livable Communities For All Ages. Center for Home Care Policy & Research Case Studies.
Volunteer Spot. (2013) Volunteer Spot: Save Time with Online Volunteer Management. Retrieved from: http://www.volunteerspot.com/Volunteer-Management- Software
43 Wadud, E., & Nagy, J. (2004). Providing supervision for staff and volunteers. In Community Toolbox (part E, chap. 15, sect. 2). Retrieved from: http://ctb.ku.edu/tools/en/sub_section_main_1146.htm
When To Help. (2000). When To Help Volunteer Management Software Online Volunteer Scheduling. Retrieved from: http://whentohelp.com/index.htm
44 Appendix
Grant Opportunities for AHOM 2013 There are a number of grant opportunities for At Home on Munjoy Hill (AHOM) neighborhood organization. This funding may help the group cover any necessary costs during the implementation process. It is important to note that the following is an unfiltered list of foundations awarding grants that may be beneficial for AHOM to give them an understanding of the array of choices and topics they address.
• Maine Health Access Foundation (MeHAF) Address: 150 Capitol Street, Suite 4 · Augusta, Maine 04330 Deadline/Due Dates for Proposal: Applications can be made throughout the year. Process: Recommend calling & talking with staff Summary: MeHAF has awarded grants, provided consulting services as well as technical assistance to organizations that provide services to those in need and uninsured throughout Maine. The foundation also offers services in program and system maintenance.
• Community Building Grant Program (CBGP) Address: 245 Main St., Ellsworth, Maine 04605 Deadline/Due Dates for Proposal: February 15 Process: Complete and submit the online grant application Summary: CBGP grants funding to programs and organizations who offer services that lead to the overall well-being of a community. In order to be awarded the funds, CBGP requests that programs and organizations meet certain criteria such as using community resources, reinforces the community and that program has long-term goals and plans for the community. CBGP also requires for the program and organization to be community-based and have its members involved in the processes and build relationships. Grants can be made available up to $10,000 and must be used for program-specific purposes and not for already incurred expenses.
• Maine Charity Foundation Fund (MCFF) Address: 245 Main St., Ellsworth, Maine 04605 Deadline/Due Dates for Proposal: September 15 Process: Complete and submit the online grant application. Summary: MCFF grants funds to programs and organizations that deliver charitable services in the state of Maine. Grants can be made available up to $5,000 and must be used for program-specific purposes and not for already incurred expenses.
• Rines/Thompson Fund Address: 245 Main St., Ellsworth, Maine 04605 Deadline/Due Dates for Proposal: September 15 Process: Complete and submit the online grant application. Summary: This fund will help programs and organizations that offer resources to
45 help people in need in the greater Portland area. Grants can be made available up to $7,500.
• Oak Foundation Address: 511 Congress St., Suite 800, Portland, Maine 04101 Deadline/Due Dates for Proposal: Applications can be made throughout the year. Process: Submit a letter of enquiry and if the Oak Foundation approves it then a proposal must be given. Summary: Oak Foundations offers grants to nonprofit programs and organizations that address important issues especially those that benefit the disadvantaged all over the world.
• TD Banknorth Charitable Foundation Address: P.O. Box 9540, Portland, Maine, 04112-9540 Deadline/Due Dates for Proposal: Applications can be made throughout the year. Process: Complete and submit the online grant application. Summary: TD is committed to provide grants and volunteer hours to those not- for-profit programs and organizations that are community based and who help its members with pertinent issues.
• Libra Foundation Address: 3 Canal Plaza, Suite 500, P.O. Box 17516, Portland, Maine, 04112 Deadline/Due Dates for Proposal: Applications may be submitted at any time, but must be received by February 15th, May 15th, August 15th and November 15th to be considered at the next regular meeting of the Trustees. Process: Submission of a two-page application form. Summary: Libra Foundation will award grants to not-for-profit programs and organizations solely in the state of Maine. Programs and organizations will only be financed if they are delivering services for charitable specific-purposes. Grants can be made available for up to $25,000.
• The Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation (STKF) Address: P.O. Box 855, Bangor, Maine 04402 Deadline/Due Dates for Proposal: Applications can be made throughout the year. Process: Complete and submit the online or hard copy of the application. Summary: STKF is a private not-for-profit organization that awards grants to initiatives that are community-based in the state of Maine. These initiatives should be geared towards strengthening and supporting the community.
• The Sam L. Cohen Foundation (SLCF) Address: P.O. Box 1123, Portland, Maine 04104 Deadline/Due Dates for Proposal: For the initial inquiry: Spring grant cycle: December 1 - February 1 Fall grant cycle: June 1 - August 1. For the full application form: Spring grant cycle: March 1 Fall grant cycle: September 1 Process: Submit initial inquiry and full application if SLCF sees fit. Summary: The SLCF awards grants to organizations that promote civic engagement and a
46 healthy community.
• The Hannaford Charitable Foundation (HCF) Address: P.O. Box 1000, Portland, Maine 04104 Deadline/Due Dates for Proposal: Applications can be made throughout the year. Process: Send written request for support indicating organization’s project, goals, and uses of grants. Summary: The HCF will award grants to organizations whose initiatives benefit communities in the New England area.
• Bangor Savings Bank Foundation (BSBF) Address: 99 Franklin St., Bangor, Maine 04402 Deadline/Due Dates for Proposal: April 1st, July 1st, October 1st, or January 1st Process: Complete and submit grant application form. Summary: BSBF awards grants as well as their skills, time and labor to organizations that aim to improve community live in Maine.
nd • Horizon Foundation Address: 1 Monument Way, 2 floor, Portland, Maine 04101 Deadline/Due Dates for Proposal: January 15 and July 15 Process: Submit a letter of inquiry then full application if Horizon Foundation sees fit. Summary: Horizon Foundation grants funds to organizations that initiate positive changes in communities to make them safe and livable.
• Maine Initiatives Address: P.O. Box 2248, 295 Water St., Suite 100, Augusta, Maine 04338 Deadline/Due Dates for Proposal: February 1st Process: Submission of a proposal describing the organization and its project. Summary: Grants will be awarded to organizations that offer programs that connect people together to support a community.
• Kennebunk Savings Bank Foundation (KSBF) Address: P.O. Box 28, Kennebunk, Maine 04043 Deadline/Due Dates for Proposal: Applications can be made throughout the year. Process: Complete and submit online request for funding form. Summary: KSBF grants funds to organizations that support initiatives that promote civic engagement, human services and education in communities.
• The Margaret E. Burnham Charitable Trust (MEBCT) Address: P.O. Box 31, Portland, Maine 04112-0031 Deadline/Due Dates for Proposal: October 1st Process: Complete and submit application describing organization and its project. Summary: MEBCT awards grants to not-for-profit organizations operating in the state of Maine. These organizations need to offer services that benefit communities and social services.
47 • Franklin Savings Bank Community Development Foundation (FSBCDF) Address: P.O. Box 825, Farmington, Maine 04938-0825 Deadline/Due Dates for Proposal: Applications can be made throughout the year. Process: Complete and submit charitable donation request application. Summary: FSBCDF awards grants to organizations that support community development initiatives leading to a healthy environment for the people specifically in Maine.
• The Catalyst Fund Address: 33 Old Mast Road, Portland, Maine 04102 Deadline/Due Dates for Proposal: Applications can be made throughout the year. Process: Complete and submit grant application. Summary: The Catalyst Fund will award grants to start-up projects in organizations that seek to do good for a community to promote well-being and opportunities for its people.
• Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield (ABCCS) Address: 120 Monument Circle, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 Email: [email protected] Deadline/Due Dates for Proposal: Applications can be made throughout the year. Process: Grant proposals must be submitted online Summary: ABCCS awards grants to not-for-profit organizations that promote healthy environment to people of all ages in communities in the United States.
48